detoxify
verb
Did you know?
These days, detoxify can mean to free (someone) from a substance addiction (and yes, it's the source of detox, a more recent word that also refers to getting drugs or alcohol out of a person's system). Originally, however, detoxification was something done to things rather than to people. In its earliest uses - from about 1905 - detoxify referred to the removal of poison, or of poisonous or damaging properties, from a harmful substance, or to the removal of poisonous or toxic substances from something contaminated (such as the bloodstream).The specific application to removing poison from an addict is relatively new, dating to the mid-20th century. Today, detoxify is also often used generally in reference to counteracting the activity or effect of anything harmful (such as propaganda).
Examples of detoxify in a Sentence
Erica Sweeney, Time, 11 May 2026
From Natura Bissé facials, to hot river stone massages, to detoxifying seaweed wraps, time truly stops within these walls.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026
It was managed with medication for years, but by 2019 she was put on the organ transplant list and started home dialysis, which uses a machine to detoxify the blood, taking over the role of the kidneys.
—Karen Weintraub, USA Today, 3 May 2026
Treatment options included Tibetan massages, foot reflexology, detoxifying massages, citrus scrubs, Diamond Life Infusion facials, and even gentle treatments for kids.
—Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detoxify
Cite this Entry
“Detoxify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detoxify. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
detoxify
verb
J. M. Markham
